I'm personally glad to see at least one thread referencing mahamudra in some form. I am not complaining, but there appears to be large large amounts of threads about Dzochen, and this is the first that even mentions mahamudra in about any fashiion other than merely listing a teaching in quite a while.

So I'm glad. I intend to purchase this book if possible, and will give my opinion if I have one upon studying it most probably. Though I am not purchasing it to get any introduction to this but to compare to what I study,As to written texts most seems just very basic and many as is present with chod books, comprise just preliminaries, and preliminary view. NOthing wrong with preliminaries but you can only read so much about preliminaries.

Many of the books as many here undoubtly know are quite secret and require a teachers permission to buy and read.I hope there is some content here and not just perliminaries. Though I am certainly not hoping to get any "secrets" from books, I do require some content so I may compare things.

I will be wasting my time and money if this is just another book on preliminaries and preliminary view. So please advise me if one finds this so.

"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.

ronnewmexico wrote:I'm personally glad to see at least one thread referencing mahamudra in some form. I am not complaining, but there appears to be large large amounts of threads about Dzochen, and this is the first that even mentions mahamudra in about any fashiion other than merely listing a teaching in quite a while.

So I'm glad. I intend to purchase this book if possible, and will give my opinion if I have one upon studying it most probably. Though I am not purchasing it to get any introduction to this but to compare to what I study,As to written texts most seems just very basic and many as is present with chod books, comprise just preliminaries, and preliminary view. NOthing wrong with preliminaries but you can only read so much about preliminaries.

Many of the books as many here undoubtly know are quite secret and require a teachers permission to buy and read.I hope there is some content here and not just perliminaries. Though I am certainly not hoping to get any "secrets" from books, I do require some content so I may compare things.

I will be wasting my time and money if this is just another book on preliminaries and preliminary view. So please advise me if one finds this so.

Hi Ron

Firstly, I am busy with my ngondro (Dorje Sempa) so even prelims are a source of great wealth and information for me

Secondly, as fas as I can tell the book does contain quite a few new materials, or at least some rather good new translations. When next you look at the book, maybe have a quick look at the various introductions and translator's notes, maybe that gives you some clearer idea before you decide to buy it.

but nowhere in my post do I state preliminaries are not necessary nor without value..."Firstly, I am busy with my ngondro (Dorje Sempa) so even prelims are a source of great wealth and information for me ".

Reading about preliminaries over and over again serves no viable purpose.If you want to believe I stated preliminaries have no purpose and then want to correct me on that...feel free enjoy

I certainly don't think "secrets" shouid be discussed in a public forum. I am certainly not wanting to know anyone elses "secrets" of any kind or sort. I am quite busy with my own...they are many and some are quite nefarious.

Dzochen has the same restrictions of practice to my knowledge and yet about every other thread in the forum on tibetan buddhism is about dzochen.I know it is popular but that seems inordinately proportionate.

I have been to some places where lineage holders openly discuss things of this sort, practical helpful things of observational quality, and others where nothing is ever discussed in any fashion. I personally opt for the first, but don't personally care a bit as I am not a teacher and it is not my concern.. A good book to read about Mahamudra a technique or perspective I may not be familiar with to compare to what I am familiar with....that would be nice, to read on a summer day in my hammock with the breezes blowing mindly by.. but not a big big deal if not present.

So I think there is variance in this thing.

Such a book if this is one, would be a good recreation to my opinion. I will not read about preliminaries for recreation, that would be boring for me. And that is not to state preliminaries are without value nor purpose...that would be absurd. I don't state that. Being bored reading a book about preliminaries is not stateing they are without purpose or reason. That just means (for Me) I have read very many of books on preliminaries, and yes I have practiced them for long long periods of time. Though I have no spiritual progression or advancement, nor could be considered even a practitioner of mahamudra as I am so dull. I don't know anything about that actually. Familiarization, to qualify, is not, to my opinion, knowledge of that thing necessarily.But reading such books I have also not been told to not do. And I have been told to watch mind...so that I do. Mahamudra I don't know what that is nor care to know or not know....it is filled with secrets they say....I have to many of them already. But they say a lot of things. So I don't know.

You perhaps then know..enough for both of us. I will not bother with that.

I know if someone advises me this is a good book as I qualify it.. I will probably read it. If not not. So qualify it or not. The part of your post where you qualify it has me optomistic, it is worth a try.

"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.

The book is not about preliminaries. It is about Mahamudra proper, very high teachings on the view, translations on Six Yogas of Naropa, Gongchig, etc. Other translations of Six Yogas of Naropa are out of print; so this is an important text. Also the other translations of Gongchig are not that good; so this is important for that reason too.

In particular, Shamar Rinpoche's text on Naro ChoDrug is THE main guide in the Karma Kagyu lineage for these practices.

Bokar Rinpoche wrote a similar, condensed guide to Mahamudra as outlined in the Chakchen Ngedon Gyamtso, called "Opening the Door to Certainty." I recommend it. It's great for practitioners. And less of a strain to carry around!

Looking forward to my copy of Roberts work arriving--he is a very skilled translator, and these really are essential texts for understanding the various facets of the Kagyu traditions--Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche picked them out, in fact.

May any merit generated by on-line discussionBe dedicated to the Ultimate Benefit of All Sentient Beings.

"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.

Bokar Rinpoche wrote a similar, condensed guide to Mahamudra as outlined in the Chakchen Ngedon Gyamtso, called "Opening the Door to Certainty." I recommend it. It's great for practitioners. And less of a strain to carry around!

I was a little disappointed in this book, too short. I think the best introduction to mahamudra is Thrangu Rinpoche's new book Vivid Awareness. Actually it's a unified presentation of mahamudra and dzogchen based on Khenpo Gangshar's instructions.

The best book on mahamudra (though I haven't read them all) is still Takpo Tashi Namgyal's "Mahamudra: The Quintessence of Mind & Meditation,"